Aureole
by Ichigo and Orenji
Summary: Searching for the means to a goal is a circle. A predetermined path that never ends. They say the Philosopher's Stone can break the set path. But will you still want it once you reach the end? Sometimes the path given to you is the right one in the end...
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: Woot! We've back folks! Ichigo here! Orenji and I hope you enjoy the awesomeness of this Fullmetal Alchemist fanfics. We hope this small story becomes as great as Arakawa-sensei's original creation! Please support us in our endeavors! R&R!

Story Keys

"talking"

'_thinking_'

_Melissa speaking through her notepad_

Disclaimer: Neither Orenji nor I(Ichigo) own Fullmetal Alchemist

* * *

Chapter 1: Three and a Half Alchemists 

_Children of God who dwell on the Earth…there is no salvation without prayer and faith. The Sun God Leto will illuminate thy path. Behold! The Lord hat descended from his heavenly throne to save thee from thy sins. For I am the emissary of the Sun God…_

Lifting her head, a small girl with long, dirty blond hair that ended in many thick ringlets level with her mid-back cast her green eyes around chewing on the end of her straw, "What is this…?"

"It's a religious broadcast," a older, taller girl with long waist length black hair replied from her seat to the left of the first girl, her dark eyes closed in boredom as she sipped at her drink, "For the Sun God Leto."

To the dark blonde's right a boy with yellow-blond hair in a braid spoke up, "Somehow the fact you know doesn't surprise me."

Shrugging the brunette returned the straw to her glass filled with milk and began sipping quietly seemingly quite bored.

The blond stared at her, "How can you drink that stuff anyway Karin?"

Karin lifted her green eyes to look at the boy, Edward Elric, "What? I like milk. It's gunna make me grow up to be tall."

In an attempt to out grow the Fullmetal Alchemist, who was currently almost a foot taller then her, Karin had been drinking vast amounts of milk lately whenever she could.

"Yep," the black haired girl agreed, "It's full of calcium and other good vitamins, personally, I don't like it but…I'll still drink it."

Ed glowered going back to his orange juice, "You're both crazy."

"You make it seem like it's gunna eat us." Karin pointed out.

"Either way," Ed said choosing to ignore the small girl's comment, "A messenger of God? What's that?"

"I think I'm the one who should be saying 'What's that?' about you," the store clerk, an old man wearing a hat that fitted tightly around his skull, with a graying beard piped up, "Are you street performers?"

Surprised by the question Ed blew into the straw unintentionally sending his juice flying everywhere. Ignoring the protests of a now slightly damp Karin beside him he began to interrogate the man who dared ask such a ridiculous question,

"Okay, Pops. What part of us looks like street performers?"

"What else could you be?" was the reply.

"And here I thought there was going to be a show to look forward too…what a shame…"

Turning in her seat Karin looked behind them and saw a blond boy standing behind them, "Huh?"

The clerk looked at the boy surprised and began to pour another glass of milk, "Eh? Mikko, you're here earlier then usual…"

"Ya…I guess you could say…" he paused eyeing Claire's back and Karin's innocent face, "I was more motivated to come here then usual….heh heh."

Easily noticing the boy's obvious glance Ed rolled his eyes just as a girl with short blue hair held back with a headband stepped out from behind the boy, her orange eyes staring at them briefly in turn as she bowed to each of them.

Claire, the black haired girl, blinked behind her glasses at the girl before smiling, "Oh, hello there."

Karin blinked confused as the blue hair girl simple waved in greeting so Mikko clarified, "Melissa says hello."

Karin blinked again, "Why doesn't she just say so herself?"

"Ehh…she doesn't…really like speaking her mind…don't take it as an insult though…ehhhh, if you're not street performers…why are you here exactly?"

Turning his back to Mikko, Ed began to sip his drink again, "We're looking for something." he paused chewing on his straw thoughtfully, "Anyway, what's with this broadcast?"

Mikko blinked, "You mean you've never heard of Cornello?"

"Who?"

"Let me guess..." piped up Claire, "He's the messenger of the Sun God Leto?'

Ed scowled when Mikko nodded, "I really wish you'd stop doing that Claire."

"Doing what?" she asked innocently.

"Knowing everything."

"Jeez…I was just bored so I actually listened to the broadcast."

"Mm-hmm." agreed Ed in a tone that said he didn't believe her at all, a tone which earned him a quick smack in the head delivered by Claire.

"Nii-chan's too bored to listen, nihahaha."

Mikko blinked looking at Karin and Ed, "'Nii-chan?' you two don't look related…"

"We're not." Ed cut in.

"I just call him that 'cause he's just as good as a real one!"

"Really?" Mikko asked curiously before sensing Ed's piercing glare and cleared his throat hastily, "Anyway…Cornello is the founder of Leotism. Apparently he came to this city a few years ago preaching about God."

And sure enough, all around them citizens were adding their two cents to the conversation,

"It's incredible! It's truly the power of God!"

Tuning out the citizens chatter Claire pushed her glasses back up onto her nose and peered at Ed, "You're not listening at all are you?"

"Nope, I'm not interested in religion," pushing away his glass Ed stood up, "I'm stuffed, let's beat it."

"Kay!" Karin chirped as she happily hopped off her stool smoothing her pink skirt down afterwards, Claire followed sliding off the stool and onto her feet brushing the dirt of her knee length black skirt. Al also rose up, however, the helmet of the suit of armor crashed into the overhanging part of the shop creating a chain reaction, causing the radio to bounce from its spot and shatter on the cobblestone below.

"Oopsie, there it goes!" Karin laughed, "Normally I'm the one breaking stuff!"

"Waah! You broke it!" Mikko cried hands on his head a look of horror on his face.

"Sorry! I'll fix it right away!" Al reassured him.

"'Fix'?" the store owner asked, "How?"

Ed smiled, "Just watch."

Karin pouted, "I wanna do it!"

Chuckling Ed ruffled the smaller girl's hair, "If you do anything to it Karin it'll be beyond repair!"

Sweatdropping Al completed the transmutation circle and stood crossing his hands over the center of the circle where the broken radio sat, "Here I go."

As Al spoke those words there was a flash of bright light, a puff of smoke and suddenly the chatter started back up again, the radio was repaired.

"Uwah! That's so cool!" Mikko exclaimed, '_He's an alchemist!_'

"Yep! Al-chan's great isn't he? Right? Right?" Karin chirped her eyes sparkling, however the sparkling eyes were soon squinted shut in irritation as Ed ferociously ruffled her hair, "Owowowowowowow…"

"I'm totally stunned!" exclaimed the store/radio owner as he gaped at the repaired apparatus, "You can use the power of miracles?"

Blinking Ed stopped ruffling Karin's hair and turned to look at the man, "Say what?"

"I never expected you to be alchemists…" Mikko spoke up attracting Ed's attention from the other direction.

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's not everyday I get to meet an alchemist…are you all alchemists?"

"More or less, this one," Ed paused returning his hand to its resting place atop Karin's head of dark blonde locks, "tends to blow things up more then make them?"

"Oh?" Mikko asked curiosity peaked, "You like to blow things up too?"

"No," Claire growled, "She doesn't."

Mikko just blinked and ignored her, "Who are you guys anyway?"

"Just call us the Elric Brothers," Ed told the blond boy puffing out his chest a bit in pride, "We're sorta famous."

"Ehhhhh? I'm not a boy!"

Al sweatdropped, "She's Karin…"

"That's right! I'm Karin! Karin Messana!"

Claire bowed, "I'm Claire Hart."

"And I'm Mikko Wuori!"

Ed snorted, "Wuori?"

"Yes? What's the matter?"

Ed snickered, "It just sounds funny."

Stunned that someone could say such a thing about his name Mikko simply gapped opening his mouth and closing it several times before Ed's snickering finally brought him back to his senses, "No it doesn't! It's a respected name where I come from!"

No luck. Ed continued to snicker trying hard not to laugh outright. Suddenly the town folk around them seemed to have winded down from their previous conversation about Cornello and began chattering excitedly,

"The Elric Brothers?"

"I've heard of them!"

"The older one is a National Alchemist!"

"Really?" Mikko questioned as he joined the crowd surrounding Al, "Then I'm sorry for making fun of your suit of armor!"

"Eh? But Al-chan's not Nii-chan!"

All fell quiet as the crowd looked between Al and the boy Karin was pointing to, finally Mikko was the one to breach the silence,

"Eh? This little boy?"

Anger finally snapping Ed grabbed Mikko by his shirt and begun spinning him round and round before finally releasing him, "WHO'S THE SUPER SMALL SPECK?!"

As Ed panted in anger Karin's green eyes tracked the boy as he sailed across the sky and crashed into a brick wall half a block away which promptly exploded, the fragments raining all around them and amongst them Mikko made his angry stomp back up the street,

"Oi! That was uncool Edford!"

Green eyes blinked at him, "Edford? But Nii-chan's name is Edward."

"He must be from far away," Claire reasoned pushing her glasses back up her nose bridge, "His accent's pretty thick."

"I'm the younger brother Alphonse Elric." Al stated deciding to take advantage of the stunned silence.

Suddenly remembering the misunderstanding Ed whirled back around to face the crowd pointing at himself, "I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric!"

"Excuse us!" the crowd cried afraid of Ed throwing them like he did to Mikko.

Karin looked at the crowd pityingly, "I feel sorry for them."

"I do too," Claire agreed, '_It would've been worse if anyone called me by my well…alias I guess you could call it…_'

As if her thoughts had been telepathically blasted Ed piped up her worst fear, "Hey Claire, you never said what your alchemist name is, no one'll know you other wise!"

Startled Claire pushes her glasses back up her nose, "I-I'd rather not…"

"Oh c'mon it's obvious by your glasses," Ed stated waving his hand, "It's Mekkaneko."

At the word Claire's gaze darkened, "Oi…"

Mikko blinked, "Mekkaneko?"

"That's right, you know what that means right?" Karin asked sweat dropping.

"Er…"

'_Soo…it is her..._' he thought, '_Just my luck to find someone connected to the military who's my age! So what if I'm a year older?! I can't let this chance pass me by!_'

Suddenly realizing Karin was staring at him with curious eyes Mikko snapped out of his thoughts, "No I don't know…what does it mean?"

"Glasses girl," the green eyed blonde replied simply, "They call her that because she needs glasses to perform her alchemy."

"Can we please stop talking about it…?" the black haired, bespectacled girl in question muttered as she memorized the contours of the stone beneath her feet.

Oblivious to Claire's embarrassment Mikko had the misfortune for the second time that day to be at the receiving end of two State Alchemists' wrath that day, "What a stupid name."

The punishment he received?

Claire's "Super Special Kick Shot" into a wall nearby the first one he hit.

"Why meeeeee!" he whined as a reluctant Melissa hauled him out of the pile of rubble that had once been a wall of a building.

Karin winced as she hoisted her backpack onto her back, "Ouch…"

"Glad that wasn't me…" Ed muttered shaking his head.

"Eh? Rose?" Mikko blinked as a girl with darker skin and brown hair with pink bangs rang over, '_There's so many cute girls…how can I just pick one?_'

"Lovely day isn't it?" the girl named Rose greeted them as she approached and paid the store owner some money and he began to pack a paper bag with objects.

"Eh…um...yes!" Karin stuttered hastily, a bit nervous with all the stranger accumulating.

"Going to the church again?"

Rose turned and smiled at Mikko, "Yes, I need to make some offerings."

"Offerings?" Karin muttered as she thought of the kinds of things you could possibly offer a God

Suddenly noticing the two girls, the boy and the suit of armor Rose blinked, "I don't believe I've seen you before…"

"They've alchemists," Mikko replied, "They said they're looking for something."

Rose smiled as she clutched the paper bag tightly, "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for! May God protect you!"

"Rose has become so energetic lately; it's all thanks to the founder," Karin turned her green eyes from Rose's disappearing back to look back at the store owner in confusion while Ed replied with an unintelligent, "Huh?" noticing he had their attention he continued, "That girl has no relatives, but on top of that her boyfriend died in an accident this year."

Karin gasped, "No way! That's terrible!"

Mikko nodded, "Yeah…I thought a girl would be so devastated she'd never be able to smile again…but she's so happy."

"What saved her," a bald man said, "Were the teachings of Cornello the messenger of the sun god Leto."

"Eh…? Really..?" Karin asked only to be ignored as the man continued with his story.

"He said he gives everlasting life to the living and rebirth to the dead. The power of miracles proves that. Mister!" he turned to look at Ed, "You should definitely take a look too, that's definitely the power of God!"

"'Rebirth to the dead' huh? That smells fishy." Ed mused scratching his cheek thoughtfully.

"I'm guessing you're not to interest in Leotism."

Ed glanced at Mikko, "Nope, I'm an atheist."

"Then? Will you guys be leaving town?" the older blond pressed.

"Once we find what we're looking for."

"And what would that be?"

Ed scowled not liking Mikko's tone, "None of your damn business."

Mikko scowled as well, "Just wanted to help."

"Um…" Karin piped up meekly, "Sorry...but…"

"It's a group problem," Ed explained cutting Karin off, "You don't need to get involved, Wuori."

"Well…is there anything I can do for you while you're here? I'd like to help anyway I can…"

'_This guy is trying too hard to be nice…_' Claire noted as she studied the two blond boys through her glasses.

"If you keep insisting," Ed paused eying Mikko with the same suspicious look Claire was, "Then maybe a place to stay."

"Melissa, do you think we have enough room?" he asked looking at the girl with short blue hair that stood beside him whom paused, thinking, before nodding, "Then it's okay."

"Thanks then."

"The pleasures all mine."

"Hn."

"Why are you here Wuori-san?" Claire asked as she scooped up her bag.

'_Doi…why is she asking?_' he thought before replying, "Ehhhhh why do you ask?"

Ed rolled his eyes, "Cause judging from that flaky accent of yours you're not from around here."

"Well…the place where I'm from is going through a lot of problems so…I figured I should get as far away from there as possible. Well…that and the selection weren't very good."

"Ehh? Selection? Was the food bad?"

Startled, Mikko waved his hands at Karin, "No! Nothing like that!"

"Then what?" she asked.

"Hahahaha…uh…how do I explain this?"

Melissa sweat dropped, unable to believe he was actually going there. Karin on the other hand titled her head to the side adorably, "Huh?"

"Ahhhh…. the umm….people were…not as nice to…uh…be around…"

"Huh? They were mean to you?"

"Ehh…hehe…"

"I think," Claire sublimated helpfully, "He means he didn't like the girls where he came from."

"Eh? Really?" Karin asked oblivious to the true meaning.

"You better not try anything funny." Ed warned Mikko.

"'Funny' Ahahahaha….that sounds weird coming from a shrimp..."

And to prove that the third time is, indeed, the charm Mikko was once again grabbed and thrown for his blunt mouth by Ed with a cry of, "PERVERTS SHOULDN'T MAKE FUN OF OTHER PEOPLE!"

* * *

"It's so big…"Karin said as she stared up at the ceiling of the church as they walked into the building. 

Rose paused from cleaning the alter and turned to look, "Oh? Didn't I meet you earlier? Do you want to learn about Leotism?"

"Sorry," Ed replied holding up a hand to silence the others, "But like I already said, we're atheist, or at least, I am."

"That's not good! By believing in God you live in gratitude! It's wonderful! If you have faith surely you'll grow taller!"

"What? You little-"

Quickly grabbing his brother Al hastily added, "She didn't say it to be mean."

"Hmphf," Ed grunted as he sat himself down in a pew, "Pray to God and the dead will come back…huh? …Jeez…do you really believe in something like that?"

"I do…with all my heart!"

There was a silence before Ed sighed and pulled a small, worn notebook out of an inside pocket of his red jacket, flipping it open to a page, as though he memorized it's exact location long ago and often referred to it. He then began to read, "35 liters of water, 25 kilograms of carbon, 4 liters of ammonia, 1.5 kilograms of lime, 800 grams of phosphorous, 250 grams of salt, 100 grams of saltpeter, 80 grams of sulfur, 7.5 grams of fluorine, 5 grams of iron, 3 grams of silicon, and a little bit of 15 other elements," Ed paused smirking at bit at Rose's dumbfounded look, "These are the elements that are required to make an average human adult body."

"We already know that much with modern science, but the reality is that no successful human transmutation has ever been reported. There's not enough of something...for hundreds of years scientists have been researching and researching, but the still haven't been able to grasp it," Ed paused snapping the book shut and returning it to his jacket pocket, "So you could say it's a wasted effort, but I think it's a lot more useful than just praying and waiting. Oh right, and the ingredients for these parts? You can pick all of them up at a market with the pocket money of a little kid. It's really cheap to make a human being!"

Rose smoldered for a moment before exploding outwards as Ed's words hit home, "A person isn't a thing! You're being disrespectful to the creator! You'll get the wrath of heaven!"

Ed laughed, "Alchemists are scientists, we can't believe in some vague thing like "The Creator" and "God." We explain the fundamentals of the creation of everything in the world and pursue the truth. It's ironic that as scientists that don't believe in God, we're the ones who are closest to God."

Rose scowled, "That's arrogant, you think of yourself as God's equal?"

Ed smirked eyes closing as he crossed his legs and rested his hand upon his knee as his three long term companies gloomed, "Oh right, I've heard this legend before, 'There was once a hero who flew too close to the sun. His wings of wax fell apart and he plummeted to earth…'"

* * *

"So what do you think of Cornello?" 

Standing upon a wooden box Ed continued to observe Cornello for a moment as he created his "miracles" before he replied to Mikko's query, "I think he's a fraud."

Claire nodded, "It's pretty obvious he's using alchemy."

Ed frowned a bit, "Ya…but the law…"

"So you all came?" a voice questioned suddenly.

Looking back Karin noticed Rose making her way towards them through the large crowd that had assembled in the square that surrounded a large statue and nodded at her, "Yeah."

"What do you think about it?" Rose asked as she came alongside Ed and Al, "No doubt about it's the power of miracles! After all, Lord Cornello is the son of the sun god."

Ed continued to peer at Cornello not sparing Rose a glance, "Nope. It's alchemy. He's a fraud."

"But the law…" Al added.

"Hmm…that's right."

Rose blinked, "Law?"

Al turned to look down at her, "From an average person's point of view, alchemy is a handy skill that can make anything without limit. But the truth is there's laws."

"The law of conservation of mass and the law of providence right?" Karin piped up coming alongside the group, smiling when Al nodded at her and listening closely to Claire as she picked up the rest of the story.

"Among us practitioners there are people who use the four elements and the principals but…it's taking an object with one element and changing it into an object containing the same elements. An object made of water can only be transmuted into an object with water attributes."

Mikko stared at her with dazed eyes, "What?"

Mikko's comment finally tore Ed's gaze from Cornello to the boy beside him, "I thought you were an alchemist."

"I never said I'm an alchemist…I'm still reading the instruction manual! I just like blowing stuff up…"

Ed rolled his eyes muttering "Idiot" before turning his attention back to Cornello, "In simple terms for the idiot over there," he threw a glare at Mikko, "The basis of alchemy is 'Equivalent trade!' If you want to make something you need something of equivalent cost. But he ignored the law and was able to transmute."

"Make some sense!" Rose snapped, "Do you believe in the power of miracles or not?"

"Nii-san…maybe it's…"

Ed smirked a bit, "Yeah, maybe it is….Bingo!"

Melissa blinked when all of a sudden Ed spun around a big dopey grin on his face as he addressed Rose, "Miss! I'm interest in this religion! I want to talk to the founder, so could you give me some information?"

Karin's green eyes widened, '_Nii-chan! You're full of baloney!_'

Claire narrowed her brown eyes at Ed, "What are you thinking….?"

Ed smiled at them, "Relax guys! Everything'll work out!"

Mikko's eyes turned into swirls as he followed the others, "Man this guy has serious mood swings…"

Melissa rolled her eyes and took out her pad and scribbled on it and showed him, _No, you're just stupid._

"Oi."

Walking through a hallway of the church a sense of foreboding was settling upon members of the group. Karin, the youngest was chewing on the sleeve of her yellow sweater while holding onto the white sleeve of Claire's, Cray, the man guiding them, had an evil feel to him.

"The founder is a busy man," Cray stated as he opened a door and lead the group inside, "And thus does not have much time, but I wish you good luck."

Removing her sleeve from her mouth Karin tugged on Claire's whispering hurriedly, "I don't like this…"

"Me neither," Claire replied her voice just as hushed, "But we'll have to see what Ed's planning…"

"Sorry," the previously mentioned blonde said, "I don't plan on talking to him for too long."

"Yes, we'll end this quite soon" Cray agreed smirking with his back turned to the teens as he reached into his coat pocket and pulling out a gun and aiming it at the helmet of Al's armor and pulling the trigger with his next words, "Just like this!"

Suddenly the room was filled with the ringing of the gun shot, the clash of Al's armor and the sound of sharp weapons being revealed blocking the young alchemists' path.

"Brother Cray!" Rose cried horrified, "What's the meaning of this?"

"Rose! These people are heretics that were going against the founder, they're demons!"

Stunned Karin removed her hands from her ears and her eyes widened as she discovered their paths individually blocked by spears that had been disguised as flags that their entourage had been carrying.

"No!" Rose insisted, "If that's why, the founder wouldn't allow th-"

Clay smirked, "He did allow it! The words of the founder are the words of God! This is the will of god!"

"Oh?" Al's headless armor body asked as he gripped Clay's gun tightly in his hand, "That's a mean God."

Using everyone's shock at the still alive Al, Ed forced down on the end of the nearby guards pole, grabbing him by the shirt and throwing him to the ground as Al punches Clay square in the face.

"Um, there's still-"Karin began noticing one man still standing only for the man to be knocked to the ground as Ed violently tosses Al's head at him, "Never mind..."

"Strike!" Ed cheered gleefully.

"My head!" Al cried.

"I've got it!" Karin chirped.

"W-What's going on?" Rose stuttered.

Mikko blinked, "Is he invisible?"

Ed shook his head banging his fist on the breastplate of the armor, "It's always…"

"Like this." Al finished pointing to himself.

"There's nothing inside!" Rose cried horrified, "It's hollow!"

"Here you go Al-chan!" Karin chirped as she ran over and held out the amour's head to Al.

"Thank you Karin-chan!" Al cried as he took his head back and placed it back between his shoulders, "Oh this? This is the body of someone who has trespassed in God's forbidden domain. Nii-san too."

Rose stared, "Edward too…"

"Okay, let's stop this topic," Ed said turning to Rose, "You saw God's true nature didn't you?"

"No! There must be some mistake!"

Mikko, on the other hand, was still in a daze over Al's statement, '_What exactly did they do?_'

Ed scratched his head, "Geez…the lady's already seen this much and she still believes in that fraud of a founder…Rose…"

At the sound of her name Rose looked up and found herself looking at Al, Ed, Karin and Claire, Ed having a serious look on his face as he continued,

"Rose, do you have the guts to see the truth?"

* * *

Notes 

-chan: an honorific that indicates close familiarity. Normally reserved for girls but can be used for younger boys or boys you're particularly close to, can be used for last and first names

-san: Added to first or last names as we would use, "Mr" "Mrs" or "Miss" it is the most common honorific.

Edford: As indicated by his surname, Mikko is from the Amestris equivalent to Finland and judging from what a friend of Orenji's told her, natives tend to pronounce Ws as F thus they pronounce the name Edward as Edford.

Nii-chan: An informal form of Onii-san, meaning older brother

Nii-san: Means "brother" it is more formal then Onii-chan and Nii-chan but less formal then Onii-san

Oi: Hey


	2. Chapter 2

(Ichigo: After much a due... here's the 2nd chapter!

Orenji: Sorry to those who waited, we took a break to work out our original plot...yes it took almost a year...scary huh?

Ichigo: Either way, read&review!)

Disclaimer: We do not own Fullmetal Alchemist...just Claire, Mikko, Melissa, and Karin.

2nd Transmutation: How Liberations Began

Creaking open the large black, metal door Ed peered into the dark room, the light creeping in from the hallway only illuminating a small portion of the stone floor, "Can't see a church social down here can you?"

Swallowing nervously Karin peered around Ed and into the ominous room located in the churches basement, "M-Maybe if they put in some nice lights, painted it nice colors and put in some pictures of angels…and lights, don't forget lights! Maybe some candles too…for some more light…"

Peering down at the girl two years his junior Edward Elric was silent for a brief moment as the gears of his brain ticked away before a wide mischievous grin spread across his face, "You're still afraid of the dark aren't you Karin?"

"NO!!!" The girl protested as her face became painted a bright cherry red from embarrassment.

Raising a blond eyebrow Mikko exchanged a look with his long time companion Melissa, '_This guy's making fun of this poor girl…_' he thought, '_and she's almost his height too…_'

Snickering slightly Ed began to pat his surrogate sister on the head, "Sure, sure, sure, whatever you say." referred

"Then if I say you do this to cover your insecurities about your height," Karin began crossing her arms over her chest as she gave Ed an uncharacteristic glare out of the corner of her green eyes which were unusually cold and unfriendly, "Would I be right?"

Golden eyes becoming hard and annoyed Ed turned to Karin a pulsing vein appearing on his forehead, "I'M NOT-HEY!"

Too late, Karin has already darted into the refuge of the dark room, her fears either expelled or the fear of her "Nii-chan" overpowering her fears of the seemingly endless darkness.

Sweat dropping Mikko cleared his throat as he headed past Ed and after Karin, "Well, that takes my mind off the creepy church…"

As Ed stomped into the room after Mikko and Karin three pairs of eyes peered at his retreating back. One symbolically through the eyes of an old suit of armor(these were looking a bit apprehensive), a pair of brown with a look of exasperation and the final pair, a brilliant orange-gold, with mild boredom.

The brown eyes, belonging to 16 year old Claire Hart, closed as their owner sighed, "He was in such a good mood this morning too…"

Al sighed as he and Claire walked into the dark room, "Oh well…" he muttered.

Melissa watched there backs for a few more moments and glanced around, as though making a mental plan before she too walked into the dark room not even showing a hint of surprise or emotion as the doors swung shut behind her extinguishing the light.

Suddenly the room became bathed in light and the form of Roze could be made out standing at the extreme other end of the room.

"There she is!" Ed exclaimed, "Roze!"

"Thank you for bringing them here Roze," the "miracle worker" Cornello said before turning towards the new group, "National alchemists huh? I knew you would come here eventually."

Ed snickered, "Well, let's not chalk that up to some stupid premonition okay!? You knew we'd come for the stone!"

Containing his contempt and surprise Cornello raised his hand showing off the gold ring with the red spherical stone set in the center, "Are you speaking of this??"

The eldest Elric smirked, "I knew it. Alchemy without a transmutation circle! Completely ignoring the principles of equivalent exchange, it could only be one thing…"

"Correct! It's said to only exist in legends, the legendary amplification device! The Philosopher's Stone!"

Ed's smirk widened and a hungry, greedy look lit up his molten eyes, "I've been look for it up Cornello! If you hand it over nicely I won't tell the people what you've been up too!"

"You want to take this away from me? If I lose my miracles what will happen to the village? What do you think Roze?"

"Don't listen to him Roze!" Ed cried, "He's a fraud!"

Roze was silent regardless of Cornello and Ed's statements; she seemed unable to make up her mind.

Smirking lightly Cornello faced the alchemists again, "I revived this city when a civil war was going on and threatened this city with destruction. I made water, turned it into wine, created buildings and even gave people money! I am the avatar of God! Are you trying to take God away from this city? Is the order of the military that absolute?!"

Sighing slightly Ed raised his arms and swept them in front of them as though brushing away dirt off a shelf, "Well, I don't really care about that. We need that stone, to set something right!"

"Why!?" Roze cried in a mad panic as Ed's words seemed to strike her like a physical blow would and snapped her out of her stupor, "You still want it even if it means taking hope away from us!?

"Roze! We-" Al yelped out.

"Don't jump the gun!" Claire cried.

"Ai-neechan," Karin spoke up, her voice soft and meek as she tugged on the hem of the older girl's shirt, "That pun is getting old Ai-neechan."

Ed sweat dropped regarding them with comedically narrow eyes, "Doesn't matter, like either of them would listen anyway."

"Now then!" Cornello spoke up, his voice booming and echoing around the large, empty chamber, "Let's take a look at the power of the Philosopher's Stone shall we!?" as he spoke these words, right on cue, the blood red stone encrusted into the gold ring Cornello wore on his head, emitted an eerie red light and suddenly the hard, "stone floor became sand, and fluid like the ocean.

"Guys!!" Ed cried as a sudden 'wave' pushed his friends and his brother to other parts of the room.

"Mou…this is such a pain…" Mikko drawled from his spot beside Claire at the other side of the chamber. The interesting thing was…they had managed to remain on top of the sand instead of being buried and swept away like Al was. Not only that…but Karin and Melissa were right beside them!

"How'd you…" Al began in amazement only to be cut off by Mikko.

"We pay close attention to things!" Mikko beamed as Melissa bowed, her way of saying "you're welcome"

"Erm…however you did it…thank you Mikko-san."

"Ah…no problem," Mikko assured Claire with a smile, "I'd do anything for a girl."

Karin smacked her forehead while Ed sprouted an anger vein on his forehead; suddenly Mikko's "coolness" had dissipated as quickly as it had appeared.

"Oooh…" Mikko moaned pointing at the chimera that had appeared behind them, "Look at that thing! It's…looking at me…without blinking…so scary…!"

Unlike Mikko, whom took refuge behind her, Melissa was fixing the lion chimera with a steady gaze, not daring to take her eyes off it should it pounce again and the need to move become necessary.

Wiping around at Mikko's words Ed's eyes bulged at the sight before him, "A chimera!? You fused two animals together!?" suddenly the chimera lunged forward ready to sink it's fangs into the cornered pray, "CLAIRE! KARIN!" Ed cried as the chimera crashed into the ground where they stood, fangs first…but….there was no blood, "What?"

"Nii-chan!!!!"

Ed snapped his head towards Karin's voice so fast his head nearly cracked, and he was shocked to find her, Mikko, Melissa and Claire perfectly unharmed…..and at the opposite end of the room.

"How'd she…?" Claire muttered pulling Karin close, "Oh…never mind…"

"Hey…" Mikko leaned close to Claire whispering in her ear, "If you want us to get your little sister out of here just say the word." he smiled when Claire looked at him unsure, "Its bad enough she's afraid of the dark…but with a chimera it'll be worse."

The brunette turned her head slightly, unbothered by the boys close proximity to her and held him in her steady, analytical gaze, the kind she bore when calculating the pros and cons of any situation, fictional or not, "And how would you do that?"

The boy's mouth suddenly stretched into a smirk, his eyes alit with mischief, "Just watch us…" he commanded gently as he reached over and grabbed onto Melissa's hand before grabbing onto Karin's shoulder.

"What…" Claire breathed stunned as her arms were suddenly encompassing, not Karin, but thin air…

"Hey! Where'd they…!?" Ed began stunned before hearing registered the sound of heavy footfalls, indicating the approaching lion chimera, "OH! Never mind!" he yelled as he clapped his hands together and pressed them to the sand below which began to grow as a rod began to rise out of the sand in the end tapering into a spear.

Now prepared to defend himself the young alchemist swung the spear and caught the chimera heavily in the chest with the shaft of the spear and send it flying backwards, "Claire! What the hell happened!?" he yelled as he took the brief reprieve giving to him as the chimera shook the cobwebs out of it's head, "Hurry!"

"They just poofed out of nowhere!" she said, frantically wringing her hands and spinning in circles, half expecting to trip over them, "It makes no sense!"

"Since when…have our lives….MADE ANY SENSE!?" the blonde yelled as he tried to spear a bird Cornello had grew to enormous size using the stone. However, the attack failed as his leg was grabbed, "Ah!"

"How do you like that!?" Cornello cried in glee.

"But…then again, maybe it's better if she's gone…that way she's out of danger…!" Claire reasoned only half realizing the situation Ed was in.

Ed raised his head towards Cornello revealing the wide grin on his face, "Doesn't hurt at all!" he cried as he was suddenly dropped by the bird and taking the opportunity to swing out with a strong hook punch and send the bird crashing to the ground a good many feet away before turning to reply to Claire, "She may be out of danger…but that Wuori guy…" he muttered barely acknowledging the fact the lion chimera had returned with a vengeance and clamped it's strong jaws onto his right arm.

"What!?" Cornello cried in shock as he tightly gripped the railing before him, "You're being bitten by a chimera and you're having a casual conversation!?"

Irritated at the interruption and what was, in his opinion, a waste of time, Ed slide his golden eyes from the corners(where they had been focused intently on Claire) to their natural position at the front and fixed Cornello in an icy gaze, "What's the matter, bastard? Upset you're not seeing any blood? Or, is it the fact your pet doesn't have a good chew toy? Please. I've been though…" he swung his arm forward, snapping the chimera's fangs, successfully dislodging the beast and at the same time swung his leg out and kicked it across the room, "…WORSE!"

"What…it couldn't cause any it be!?"

Gripping his nearly shredded, red jacket, Ed began to pull it loose effectively tearing it into shreds, "This is what happens…when you trespass into God's domain!" and with a final tug, the fabric was pulled free exposing a steel arm, his artificial leg already visible through the tears in his pants leg from where the bird's talons had grabbed him.

" An arm and leg made out of steel!?" Cornello gasped slightly, surprised, "You performed human transmutation? You violated the most forbidden taboo!" he smirked, "I see, so that's how it is. I was wondering why a kid like you had such a stern name like Fullmetal. Rose, it is forbidden to transmute things to gold in alchemy. In addition to this, there was one thing that was forbidden: Human transmutation. Foolish children, you experimented with alchemy without knowing the consequences!"

"No, we…!" Al began to protest finally having dislodged himself from the sand trap.

"Al!"

Al faltered slightly. If he had been in a human body at the moment the face would most likely show a sad, troubled expression, "We just wanted to see Mom's smile again…"

"But you failed!" the priest shouted, his glee becoming only more and more evident. He seemed to take pleasure in the misery and misfortune of others.

"Yeah," Ed concurred, "My little brother lost his body and I lost my left leg and right arm. This is what happens when we tried to resurrect just one person with two people. Rose, this is a result of trying to resurrect someone. Are you prepared to face the consequences!?"

Frightened by Ed's harsh words and the even harsher expression on his face Rose backed up in fear only to stop when Cornello placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her, "Do not worry. I have the Philosopher's Stone that Leto gave me and I'm not an amateur like them."

"This…this..._geezer_ doesn't know when to shut up…" the bespectacled girl stressed the insulting word as she walked over to join the two boys, Cornello's words beginning to cause her eyebrow to twitch.

"Don't kid us!" Ed yelled at Cornello, "There are things that cannot be done no matter how much you try!"

"Then why do you seek the Philosopher's Stone? You must think you'll be able to transmute you mother with this!"

"Stop assuming things Baldy! We just want our regular bodies back…" Ed gripped his shoulder feeling the cool metal underneath his palm, "Although…there is the chance that it might not work…"

"We'll say it one more time…" Al spoke calmly as he raised his palm towards Cornello, "Please give us the Philosopher's Stone."

"National Alchemists…God's wrath will fall upon you…"

Fed up Ed swung his arm at him in a fit of rage, "Get down here you third-rate magician! I'll show you how inferior you are to us!"

Cornello could only laugh, however, as he used the ring to transmute his cane into a large machine gun and began to spread bullets across the expanse of sand below.

When the dust settled however…instead of finding bleeding corpses now resembling Swiss-cheese…a large wall had been erected before the three alchemists that had shielded them from the shots, proven by the numerous holes dotting its face.

"That was….too close…"

"Yeah…" Claire breathed in agreement to Ed before looking behind her towards the door when she heard footfalls, blue lines appearing on her head as dread filled her, "You're kidding me…he has reinforcements…"

"Al, this way!" The blond alchemist cried as he seized Claire by her wrist and dragged her towards the nearest wall of the room.

"I'm coming!"

"If there aren't any exits…" Ed released Claire's wrist to clap his palms together and pressed them against the wall and produced a large door and threw it open, "I'll just make one!"

* * *

Once a safe distance from the church, the three alchemists slowed their running to a stop, coming to rest in something of a side street and Ed and Claire paused to catch their breath.

"Jeez…why..." Pant. "Do you always…" Pant. "Drag me out!?" Claire sighed as she finally caught her breath and leaned against a nearby railing, "I have legs, you know…"

"You don't…" Pant. "Run fast enough…" Pant. "That's why!"

"Suuuuuuurreeeee." Claire agreed rolling her eyes, her tone and eye movements indicating her severe sarcasm.

Used to his brother and Claire's pointless and unrelenting arguments, Al began to take in their surroundings when,with a jolt, he noticed what had been nagging him for the past few moments…

"Where's Karin?" he asked, worried that she had fallen too far behind them and he hadn't noticed.

"I dunno…" Ed shrugged his shoulders after tearing his gaze away from his and Claire's staring contest, "That Melissa girls just grabbed her and POOF! Gone! Bye-bye!"

"Yep…" Claire agreed as she began to pass as she mused a bit, "She made a nice, quiet escape with no explosions, noises or utter destruction…" she paused as she stopped near Al and whispered to him, "So basically, the opposite of your brother's escape plans."

Hearing them both laugh quietly an anger vein sprouted on Ed's forehead, "Hey, what are you guys laughing about!?"

"Oh…umm…." Claire cast her mind around for a worthy subject, "That Wuori guy?"

"Him!" "That guy's creepy!"

Claire shrugged, "Whoever or whatever he is, Karin's with him…"

Multiple veins sprouted onto Ed's head at Claire's statement, "I'm gunna kill that guy if he touches one hair on her head!"

"H-He was the one who wanted to help!" Al protested raising his hands in an attempt to keep the peace.

"Besides," Claire added, "From the looks of it, he has to be in his late teens. So he's probably not interested in hurting little girls. Generally guys your age, Ed, don't have an interest in 12 year olds you know…"

"There ARE some crazy people out there." Ed countered.

"Like YOU?"

"I meant like YOU!"

Al sighed, a sweatdrop gracing his metal head as his brother and Claire broke out into another scuffle, and was forced to wait until the scuffle died down until he could talk again, "Anyway…we could've just taken the Philosopher's Stone if that's what you wanted…"

While Ed mumbled something indistinguishable, Claire looked up at a street post topped with a megaphone that had begun emitting a shrill sound.

_Tonight four heretics tried to kill our high priest! One is short, ones in some old armor; one is carrying a bear and the other wearing glasses. The high priest does not wish for anyone to be harmed. He told us to refrain from going outside!_

The warning was no use however, as soon the streets were filled with an angry mob that soon cornered Al, Claire and Ed.

"It's these guys alright!" one man said, "There's the short outsider kid!"

Suddenly Ed was in front of the crowd, spazzing and yelling violently, "WHO DID YOU SAY WAS A SUPER-ULTRA SHORT KID!?"

"I didn't say that!" the man countered, even more furious, "Anyway! You better not resist!"

"How dare you try to kill the high priest!" Another man spoke up.

"Such a cute kid like him tried to do that?" an elderly woman asked, "How terrible!"

Ed could only sigh as other people in the crowd made similar retorts, "Listen!" he began in an irritated, tired voice, "His 'miracles' are just the works of alchemy! By decomposing and recreating something…"

"It's a lie!"

Startled the crowd parted to reveal Rose, who had fisted the front of her dress and stared at the ground, remembering what she just witnessed, "A moment ago…my boyfriend Kain…he came back to me!"

"Congratulations Rose!" the first man to confront the heroes offered.

"See?" the lady said turning towards the boys, "Rose is not the only one who has experienced such a miracle!"

"Has anyone actually met these people!?" the blond countered irritated, "Or maybe he said they left the city."

"Stop!" a voice suddenly cried and the crowd gasped in shock as many statues of a man, presumably the sun god Leto, began to move towards the three alchemists.

"The statues of Leto are moving…it's a miracle!" someone cried.

Surprised Claire looked ahead of her. She wasn't surprised because of the statues moving…she was surprised because she suddenly found herself staring at Ed's back as he threw his arms to the side shielding her, "Ed?"

"Go find Karin…" Ed whispered, "Hurry up and go find her…"

Claire nodded, "Alright…don't get into too much trouble…"

Ed turned his head to look at her and grinned, "You know me, and I never do."

Claire grinned in return, "Yeah…"

With that simple exchange concluded, and Ed covering her Claire ran towards the fencing surrounding the area and vaulted over it, disappearing amongst the darkness. Ed had the satisfaction to smirk at the chaos Claire's sudden decision to run had caused, he was suddenly knocked to the ground by a statue and his final sight before loosing consciousness was the site of two of the statues attacking Al…

* * *

…_One is carrying a bear and the other wearing glasses. The high priest does not wish for anyone to be harmed. He told us to refrain from going-_

"Jeez…" Mikko cursed silently under his breath as he clicked off the radio, "What did those guys do?" suddenly becoming aware of a rattling sound coming form the other end of his and Melissa's apartment Mikko raised his head to see that Karin had grasped the handles attached onto the window framing and was rattling them in an attempt to dislodge the outside lock having already pulled free the inside one.

"Sorry," he said with a grin, "I can't let those mobsters get you! Tomorrow we'll go look for your friends, but right now its better we stay calm and quiet." Mikko sighed as Karin turned her head and glared at him lightly before returning to shaking the window frame, "Jeez, you can still talk, they'll be fine!"

"You have no clue what we're doing, no clue what it's like…" Karin muttered as she produced a piece of chalk from a pouch strapped across her waist that was uselessly hiding underneath her yellow, waist-length jacket, "No idea!"

"Jeez…don't draw a transmutation circle on the window please…"

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"But it's such a pain if you draw on the frame, besides, that circle won't do much to get you out of here!"

Karin simple replaced the chalk into the pouch and pressed her thumb against the tiny circle, "It doesn't matter…like Nii-chan said…it'll explode no matter what I do…"

And sure enough, for a second the wood underneath Karin's thumb glowed a purple-blue before the window was blown out from it's framing by a violent explosion and smashed onto the stone road below with a crash. And before Mikko or Melissa (whom had just entered the room upon hearing the noise) could do anything, Karin had slid her tiny frame through the window's frame and had scrambled along the narrow ledge outside the window and up towards the building's roof.

"Oh man…I'll be right back Melissa…" Mikko groaned as he hurried towards the window brushing away the shards of glass from the edges of the frame, "We got a stubborn one…" Melissa simply nodded and with that Mikko had grabbed his bag and heaved his broad shoulders through the window and scrambled after the young girl.

"You have to stop being so rash!" Mikko scolded as he grabbed Karin's arm as she neared the edge of the roof and was preparing to jump to the next one.

"Let me go!" she jerked her arm back, "I didn't ask to leave Nii-chan, Al-chan and Ai-neechan! You didn't have any right to take me…however you did it!"

"Jeez, I know you're against me and Melissa _SAVING_ you. But you have to admit, if you had gotten hurt those guys would be in a lot _more_ trouble now."

"I…I'm not helpless! I would've been fine!"

Mikko rolled his eyes, "If you're not helpless, then why are you going to run over to them when you should be planning on how you're going to help them?"

Feeling as though she had been slapped, Karin fidgeted a little, "That's…you don't understand our situation so don't be telling me what to do! You're not my parents OR my brother!"

"This is getting old!" Mikko groaned as he grabbed Karin's arm again as she tried to run off, "LISTEN for a second! You don't know anything about me. So stop assuming things. I know what I'm talking about so do try to understand what I'm saying and stop being so rash! If you keep running someone will find you, and that person may not be friendly."

Getting fed up with being treated as though she was a tiny child; Karin jerked her arm away for the third time, "Why do you care about helping us? You hate Nii-chan!"

"…no I don't."

"Yes you do! Jeez..." the girl shook her dirty blond locks and threw her arms skyward, "Why does it matter!? I can take care of myself," she gestured towards the shattered window on the ground, "See? Just let me go."

"No." Mikko sighed after a moment of thought, "Look, I told your sister where you'll be so you'll see them come eventually…we'll stay out here and when you see them...then you can go. Alright?"

Karin thought for a moment. There was no harm staying there…she should be alright…and if she saw the others he said she could go…

"Alright…" she said.

"Good!" Mikko smiled and plopped down onto the roof and began drawing a transmutation circle and placed some raw materials from his bag onto the circle, "Hey, Karin. Watch this."

There was a blue glow and suddenly Mikko was holding a thin stick.Karin watched in awe from her seat beside him as a ball of yellow-white sparks crawled its way up the stick before fizzling out in a shower of sparks.

"It's so pretty!" she gasped in glee.

"Aren't they?" Mikko concurred.

Karin nodded, "Mm! Mm! They are! They are!" suddenly she sighed causing Mikko to laugh.

"It's easy." he reassured her as he drew a circle beside her and placed some more materials onto it.

"Really…? I always blow stuff up though. Nii-chan says I'm a half-alchemist. I can only break-stuff down; I can't put them back together."

"Just try it. I'm sure it'll work."

Karin swallowed and muttered a small "Okay" as she pressed her hands onto the circle her eyes squeezed shut afraid of an imminent explosion. However, there was a small glow, and a puff of smoke, but once it cleared there was a unlit stick of firework laying on the circle.Mikko picked it up and compared it to the one he had made earlier that day,

"See? Can you even tell the difference?"

Karin shook her head, "No."

"See? I know you could do i-"

"There!" Karin cried as she stood up excited as a loud thumping sound filled the air, "There!" this time she pointed to two shapes coming down the road, "It's them! I have to go now! Bye!" and with that she scrambled down the side of the roof and jumped down to the road level and ran to join the two approaching figures.

Mikko could only smile as he watched her go, "Just as I thought…wait until I tell Melissa…" and with that he grabbed his bag and disappeared back into his apartment to tell Melissa the exciting news.


	3. Chapter 3

(Ichigo: Two chapters in one day huh...?

Orenji: We're on a roll...

Ichigo: Reviews please!)

Disclaimer: We don't own Fullmetal Alchemist...though maybe we own the ending of a chapter in a way...well...you'll see what we mean...

3rd Transmutation: How to Foil an Evil Plot and How Not to Foil Yourself

"Al-chan! Ai-neechan!"

"Karin!"

"Karin-chan! You're okay!"

Karin smiled, panting slightly to catch her breath, "Yeah! I'm fine!" she peered around curiously, "Where's Nii-chan?"

"He was taken to the dungeon by Cornello." Al explained, relieved that Karin was safe and sound.

"Ehhh!? Jeez…Nii-chan's an idiot…"

"Yeahhhh," The brunette Claire drawled as she looked skyward for a moment, "But we have a plan though…but leave it to him to make it a risky one."

Sensing a chance to prove how useful she was to the group, Karin stood ram-rod straight in an attempt to add an inch or two to her height and thumped a fist against her chest, "What do I have to do?"

"Well…" Al began, "We have to steal a bell…make some broadcasting equipment, and get a microphone near Nii-san so he can get Cornello to reveal his plans on air so everyone can hear it…"

The blond sweatdropped slightly, "So if the people start believing in alchemy we're dead…" Karin paused, thinking. If the citizens decided to believe in alchemy they might buy an excuse along the lines of the heroes making a false broadcast, but they had yet to believe their claims about alchemy before….

"Well, whatever!" Karin shrugged and smiled at Al who seemed to return the gesture as best he could in a suit of armor, "Karin'll do her best to help!"

"Alright, can you two handle getting the broadcasting equipment together?"

Karin turned towards her sister, "Mm! We can definitely manage! Definitely!" she paused again, "What are you going to be doing, Ai-neechan?"

"I'll find where that shorty's hiding."

"Hehehehe, okay!"

"Alright, so we'll meet back here in say…four hours, sound good?"

Al nodded, "Yep!"

"Good luck!" Karin called after her sister as she raced off.

"Take care!" she retorted.

"You too! C'mon Al-chan! Try to keep up!" Karin shouted as she raced off clutching tightly onto her bear, hoping she could win this self-instigated race…

Even if for every one of Al's steps she had to take three or four…

* * *

Ed made a face at the door as it swung shut as Rose exited, "She could've at least said hello or something…" Ed grumbled as he shifted trying to make himself comfortable on the hard stone floor. No luck however. Having his arms bound above his head was not something he was enjoying or found very comfortable, '_Remind me not to end up in prison again…_'

Suddenly, Ed became aware of some scratching sounds sounding from the wall behind him, "…Claire…?"

"Yo!" she greeted as she popped her head out of the hole, vaguely reminding Ed of an amusing carnival game he played once as a child when a travelling carnival visited Resembool many years ago.

"Did you find Karin?"

"Of course we did!" Claire replied her voice muffled as she dove back into the tunnel to fetch something.

"So she's alright?"

"Yeah, we found her outside with that Wuori guy. She seems fine."

Ed scowled and made a sound of dislike at the mention of Mikko. He then returned to his task of shifting the food tray over to him using his feet, an act that caused Claire to snicker.

"Nice eating arrangements." she said as she began setting up the microphone.

"You could help your loveable childhood friend, you know?"

She rolled her eyes, "Fine!"

"Thank you" Ed said gleefully as he used his newly freed hands to dig into the food with a renewed vigor.

Claire rolled her eyes again, blushing as she had not expected such sincere thanks for the boy, "Jeez, so do you really think this plan will work?"

"But of course! I _AM_ the one who thought it up!"

"Oh, you're right! How could I ever doubt you!"

Ed scowled a bit, the sarcasm not going unnoticed, however, it was ignored, "It's ok." he said with a smug look on his face, "The stupid often have doubts…NOOOO! MY BREAD!!!"

"Well, it's MINE now." Claire replied cheekily as she settled herself beside Ed and tore off a piece preparing to pop it into her mouth but had to hold her arms above her head when Ed dove for the bread.

"GIMME!"

"NO!"

"GIMMEEEEEE!"

"MAKE ME!"

"GLADLY!" he cried excepting the challenge and stood upright in a fighting stance.

"You're not serious…"

"Aren't I always!? So c'mon! Unless you're too chicken!"

"NEVER!" she cried also assuming a fighting stance.

"Bring it glasses freak!"

Before a battle royale over the forgotten piece of bread on the floor could begin, the sound of boots clanking against the stone echoed into the room as well as a door slowly creaking open.

"Hide!" Ed hissed quietly as he hurriedly placed himself in position and held his hands above his head putting them through the now too big handcuffs, giving the allusion of still being restrained. Afterwards Ed thanked his lucky stars that Claire had managed to disappear down the hole before Cornello entered the chamber.

"You fraud will go public soon." Ed assured him.

Cornello believed otherwise however…

"The believers cannot tell the difference between miracles and alchemy. No, alchemy and miracles are the same to them. It makes them happy."

Ed raised his eyebrow, "Yeah? And how does this benefit you?"

As Cornello began his long winding speech, Ed prayed that Al and Karin had successfully assembled all they needed and had made the broadcasting equipment…

If they hadn't…well…

They were sunk.

* * *

Carefully Karin peered around the corner of the tower, her eyes focused on the pathway at the base of the stairs. She carefully watched for a few moments, trying to detect if they were followed.

"Were we followed, Karin-chan?"

Karin turned slightly, her hand gripping the corner of the wall as she shook her blond head, "No, I doesn't look like it…"

"That's a relief!" Al said as he made the final touches to his transmutation circle.

"But…."

"Eh? But?"

Karin squatted beside the circle hugging her knees and stared at the circle for a moment before looking up at Al's red eyes, "You make too much noise, Al-chan. Every time you walk all you hear is clanking...someone probably heard you…"

"E-Ehhhhhh!?"

"Just kidding." she smiled.

"J-Jeez! Karin-chan!"

"I'm sorry! It was just too tempting! Nihahahaha!"

Al laughed a little as he began to assemble the needed equipment while explaining some things to Roze…

"The basic tenant of alchemy," he explained. "Is the principal of equivalent exchange. To gain something, you must part with something of equal value. My brother is called a genius, but he earned it all through hard work. That is why he is who he is now." he concluded as he finished making a switch for the broadcasting system.

"But you two paid the price didn't you?" Rose protested, "An arm, a leg, and a body…but you are trying to regain them now. What happened to your mother?"

Al was silent for a moment before standing up, "…I think it's about to begin."

Karin covered her ears as she stood near the Al, who was preparing to flip the switch, "This is gunna be loud…" she warned Rose, and soon enough as soon as Al flipped the switch a blasting horn bellowed out of the bell causing Karin's eyes to turn into swirls due to her close proximity, "See what I mean?"

_So you were after the money, after all_. Ed's voice echoed out of the bell and floated over the town below surprising Roze.

Could Al perform miracles like Cornello? Roze wasn't sure…but nonetheless…

She felt as though she'd get her answers….

One way or another…

* * *

"I can get as much money as I want through donations from my followers," Cornello replied, "What I want are believers who are willing to sacrifice their lives for me. They believe that I can resurrect people so they do not fear death. Those believers will eventually become the ultimate army. Just watch. I will be subjugating this country in a few years."

Ed sighed, become bored with the speech and deciding that his arms were becoming too sore, Ed brought them down from the shackles, seeing no point in keeping up the charade. Besides…with Cornello's eyes always closed the way they were, Ed doubted he could see at all, "I don't care about that. You can't revive anyone, right?"

"Of course! Even if you try performing human transmutation using the Philosopher's Stone, the outcome is unpredictable. Why should I make the risk for a believer…" Cornello's voice trailed off as he noticed Ed was casually eating the bread he and Claire had been bickering over not five minutes ago.

Ed paused noticing his gaze and grinned and moved over, revealing the hole inside which Claire and the microphone were hiding in.

"How did you get the bread back?" Claire asked as tears streamed down her face in a comical fashion.

"Never doubt a genius!" Ed smirked.

"Not fair…"

"Fair is fair is fair!"

"How long has that microphone been on!?" Cornello yelled, "A-And where the hell did she come from!?"

"The hole obviously, oh, it's been on since you started your tirade. You really have to be careful of what you say, you know?"

"How did you get my broadcasting equipment?!"

"My little brother and sister got it. Ah. The one you caught yesterday was some junk I transmutated to look like him and my sister got started while you were still talking with us."

"No! These are all lies! Don't believe him!" Cornello yelled as he transmutated a large gun using the stone.

"That gun is _so_ cheap…"

Ed sweatdropped, "Claire, this isn't the time to worry about what kind of gun he's gunna shoot us with!"

Claire sighed producing a hand gun from a hostel on her waist, "Fine…"

_BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!_

"CLAIRE!?" Ed cried as he pressed his back against the wall.

"I know what I'm doing!"

"That remains to be seen!"

However, it turned out Claire _did_ know what she was doing. For when Cornello pulled the trigger the gun made a groaning sound, but not shots were fired.

Not a single one.

"Claire….?" Ed began stunned.

"I blocked the…" she trailed off as she realized she didn't know now to 'dumb down' the explanation and Ed wouldn't understand the technical terms she would use, "…just chop the thing in half already!"

"R-Right!" Ed clapped his hands together and transmutated his auto mail, extending the metal surface of the arm into a sharp blade and sliced the gun in half.

Not to be defeated, Cornello dropped his bazooka and jumped at Claire trying to wrestle the handgun from her…

_BANG!_

Ed watched stunned as Cornello's limp body fell to the ground with a thud, a pool of blood slowly beginning to stain the floor, while Claire could only shake her head, tossing her black locks.

"I was _going_ to tell you not to touch it!"

"Claire….what did you do?"

"The trigger is sensitive! His fingers are huge!"

The elder Elric paused for a second as he processed what Claire just said. Claire had still been pointing the gun at Cornello, having just finished plugging his gun. Then Cornello grabbed Claire's gun after dropping his own and they began wrestling for possession of the hand gun. If the trigger was sensitive and the trigger was accidentally jostled in the scuffle…with the gun still pointing in Cornello's direction…

"So…the fraud shot himself…in a way….well…that….was…a…COMPLETE AND TOTAL WASTE OF MY PLAN! I GOT KNOCKED UNCONCIOUS FOR THIS!"

"Inside voice!" Claire hissed gesturing to the, likely, still active microphone before examining any damage that might have been afflicted onto her gun, "Awww…he totaled the trigger…"

"…IS THAT GUN ALL YOU CARE ABOUT!?"

"No! It just took me hours to fix the trigger…"

"If it was that sensitive to begin with, then maybe it's a good thing it's totaled!"

She sighed, "Yeah, you're probably right. Back to the drawing board I guess."

Ed snorted, "I'd say…oh well…" he walked over to Cornello's still body and pulled the gold ring off his finger and held it up towards the light, "At least we have this…"

"Yeah, let's go back to the others."

"Mm…let's try and leave this town before it revolts…"

* * *

"Nii-chan!? Ai-neechan!?" Karin ran up to the two of them as they came out of the door to the church, "What was all that noise!?"

"Ahh, don't worry about it, don't worry about it, but look!" Ed held out the ring to Karin.

Gasping happily Karin took the ring carefully into her palms, "Yes!" she cried as she spun happily in a circle, overjoyed that Al would be returned to his body soon and she rushed off towards Al who was coming their way, waving her hand that held the ring, "Al-chan! Al-chan! We got it, WE GOT IT-WAH!"

Unnoticed to anyone, there was an uneven stone in the road, which caused Karin to trip over it and as she fell the ring flew from her…

and it shattered on the stone just out of Karin's reach…

They were all stunned for a moment. Karin the most as she stood on her hands and knees and looked at the now empty gold ring. The ring that had once held the Philosopher's Stone.

The one thing that could return Ed and Al to normal…

And suddenly, feeling as though she had committed some horrible crime…Karin's green eyes filled with tears and she sat back on her heels and began to cry uncontrollably into the backs of her hands.

"Shoot!" Ed cried hurrying over to try and stem the flow of tears, "Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! C'mon, don't cry!"

"It was a fake…" Claire muttered in disbelief.

Al sweatdropped at Ed's futile attempts to stem Karin's tears, "Nii-san…"

"Karin, don't worry about it!" Claire assured her younger sister as she placed her hands on her shoulders, "The stone is a pure substance and wouldn't break so easily. By you breaking it, it proves that it was a fake stone."

"But…but…I thought we could fix Nii-chan and Al-chan finally then we could go home and everything would be normal again…!"

"Aww…" Claire hugged her sister, "It's okay!"

"We'll find it for sure!" Al added trying to comfort the girl.

"But first…" Ed looked around nervously, "Let's get out of here before the whole town revolts…"

"Ohhhh, right."

"T-That would be bad…"

"Ahh…shall we run before anyone asks questions?"

"Yes, let's."

They were all about to walk out of town when Ed suddenly stopped. His three companions looked back with questionable looks.

"I'm tired of this!! 'Shall we run away before anyone asks questions?' We're not fugitives or anything! Besides, that idea is boring! I say we-"

Ed was about to share his brilliant scheme when out of the blue he felt himself being thrown out into the desert, courtesy of Claire.

"How's THAT for boring!? I'm really getting tired of your reckless attitude!! Don't think this is over, shorty!!"

With that she zoomed off after the flying alchemist leaving the two younger siblings to sigh.

"T-They really haven't changed at all."

"After all these years, I'm really starting to doubt they'll ever change…"


End file.
